Tuesday, July 8, 2008

PushkarState :RajasthanClimate :In Summer: 45 C (Max) - 25 C (Min); In winter: 22 C (Max) - 8 C (Min); Rainy Season from July to Mid Sept, and very humid (upto 90%)Significance :A Hindu Pilgrimage CentrePushkar – The land of Brahma :Pushkar is located just 11 kms from Ajmer, it is believed that Lord Brahma himself created the holy lake of Pushkar. It is considered as pious as Benaras or Puri. Every devout Hindu makes it a point to visit Pushkar at least once in his lifetime.For pilgrims, a dip in the holy Pushkar lake is essential. Pushkar has as many as 400 temples and 52 ghats and the only temple in the country that is dedicated to Brahama is to be found here. Pushkar is not only an important pilgrimage center but it is also the venue of one of the country's most colorful cattle fairs - the Pushkar Fair.Pushkar is a heaven of peace and tranquility if you are coming from big metropolis as Delhi, Agra or Jaipur. Pushkar is one of the most visited towns in Rajasthan and holds the largest camel market in the world during the October or November full moon. There is a lot of hustle-bustle around the lake ghats, sacred temples and main bazaar market stalls. Best thing to do in Puskhar is to roam around the lake, visiting the numerous temples and ghats and watch the pilgrims worship at the lake shore.History :Historically, Pushkar has its own importance and was destroyed by Mahumud of Ghazni on one of his periodic forays from Afghanistan. Later it became a favorite residence of the great Moghuls. One of the first contacts between the Moghuls and the British occurred in Pushkar when Sir Thomas Roe met with Jehangir here in 1616. The city was then taken over by the Scindias and, in 1818, it was handed over to the British, becoming one of the few places in Rajasthan controlled directly by British rather than being part of a princely state.Famous for - Pushkar Fair :One of the Major highlights of Rajasthan is the Pushkar fair, which has the largest participation of all the festivals of Rajasthan. Pushkar is an important pilgrimage as well as the venue of a huge cattle fair. Bazaars, auctions, music and sports are highlight of this event.Every year, up to 200,000 people gather at Pushkar for the Camel Fair. They bring with them some 50,000 camels and cattle for several days of pilgrimage, horse dealing, camel racing and colorful festivities. The Rajasthan tourist office has promoted the fair as an international attraction by adding Rajasthan dance programmes and other cultural events.Connectivity :By Air: The nearest airport from Pushkar is Jaipur. Jaipur is well connected to all the major cities which includes Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Jodhpur, Udaipur. Recently, flights to Dubai has also started from Pushkar by Indian Airlines.By Road: The nearest railway station from Pushkar is Ajmer, which is on the Broad Gauge and hence connected to all the metro cities of India. There are daily trains from Delhi in morning (Shatabdhi Exp).By Road: Pushkar is 11 km from main Ajmer bus stand. Rajasthan Roadways run very comfortable deluxe buses from Jaipur. There are buses from Jaipur to Ajmer every 15 minutes, some nonstop. The roads are very good, and it takes around 3 hrs from Jaipur. You can also come by hired private cars.Additional Highlights of the city :Temples: Pushkar has many temples, few are ancient pilgrimage site. Many of them were destroyed by Aurangzeb and subsequently rebuilt. The most famous among them is the only temple in India dedicated to Brahma. It's marked by a red spire and over the entrance gateway is the hans, or goose symbol, of Brahma, who is said to have personally chosen Pushkar as its site. The Rangji Temple is also important temple. Just a one - hour trek up to the hilltop, early in the morning, gives a wonderful view of the temple, overlooking the lake.Ghats: There are innumerable ghats running down to the lake. Pilgrims constantly bathe in the lake's holy waters. The lake is thronged by thousands of pilgrims on the full moon day of the October-November (Kartik Purnima in the Hindu Calendar). People gather here to take a holy dip in the lake water.Things to Buy in Pushkar :At Pushkar one can buy things that include silver and beaded jewelry, embroidered fabrics, bed and cushion covers. Rajasthani puppets and fusion music are a craze among the visitors. Its also a great place to buy books. There's an excellent range of second hand novels, available in various languages. Pushkar's main bazaar is a web of narrow lanes lined with various interesting small shops.